Samsung's Drive Link goes live for Galaxy S III

Smartphone companies and various automotive heavyweights are attempting to reduce the number of distractions that drivers face during their daily commute.

Meanwhile, a number of states have already banned the practice of texting while driving. The ultimate goal? For drivers to keep their eyes fixed on the road - rather than on smartphones and other devices.

As such, many newer vehicles boast powerful infotainment systems capable of connecting with smartphones to allow for hands-free phone calls and texting. However, not all vehicles offer such hands-free features.

And that is why Samsung recently announced Drive Link, which can best be described as an application that facilitates quick access to the company's flagship Galaxy S III handset while driving.

For example, Drive Link offers large buttons and legible text to make it easy to hit the correct button as quickly as possible - allowing drivers to initiate GPS, call contacts, check appointments, view the date and time, check weather, play music, and more. The app also features MirrorLink, which is a wireless protocol for in-car electronics that helps the smartphone communicate with other compatible devices.

In addition, the app activates a text-to-speech function that automatically reads incoming text messages so the driver doesn't have to take his or her eyes off the road. The app supports English, Spanish, German, French, and Italian. More languages are expected to be added at some point in the relatively near future.